Automaton Pocket Watches. Below are some examples of pocket watches which have automatons in their design, including an 18 karat gold watch by Lecoultre & Co and an open face pocket watch attributed to Henri Capt
LECOULTRE & CO. AN 18K GOLD AND POLYCHROME ENAMEL KEYLESS WIND MINUTE REPEATING JACQUEMART FULL HUNTER POCKET WATCH WITH AUTOMATON
Date: Circa 1880
Movement: Lever escapement, bi-metallic compensation balance, Breguet overcoil, wolf’s tooth winding, two polished hammers striking on two gongs
Dial: Gilt and enamelled, grey guilloche enamelled dial, blue Roman numerals, applied gilt outer minute track with 5 minute markers, subsidiary dial at 5 with Arabic numerals for seconds, two enamelled turbaned courtiers striking twin bells resting on pink foliate, gilt lance hands
Case: Polished hinged round, signed cuvette, No.1974
Size: 54mm
Accompaniments: Fitted wooden case, 18K gold chain
Sold for £ 9,562 (US$ 11,489) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2021
ATTRIBUTED TO HENRI CAPT, YELLOW GOLD AND PAINTED ON ENAMEL QUARTER-REPEATING MUSICAL AUTOMATON OPENFACE POCKET WATCH
CIRCA: 1810
CASE MATERIAL: Yellow gold and enamel
CASE DIAMETER: 59 mm.
DIAL: Gold
MOVEMENT: Key-wound
FUNCTIONS: Minute repeater and musical automaton
Sold for CHF 52,500 at Christie’s in 2021
Gold Hunting Case ‘Automaton 1/4 Hour Repeater’ Pocket Watch
Lever-set, push button, double hammer, 1/4 hour repeater, guilloché dial, subsidiary seconds dial, 2 angels ringing a bell, angel playing a string instrument, silver & gold-tone spires on a green enamel and engine-turned background, dia. ap. 59.6 mm., gilt-movement, front cover missing.
Sold for $2,812 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2021
A Magnificent Swiss Arnex automaton musical pocket watch with alarm. This pocket watch by Arnex features a gold tone open face case, reeded body, high polished bezel, high polished ornately decorated case back with central musical instruments, acrylic crystal, white porcelain dial with a printed scenic image, musical alarm function that plays “Oh, what a beautiful morning”, a truly delightful applied gilt metal automaton scene depicting a mounted gilt falconer who’s arm raises proudly exhibiting his falcon while his horses head dips into a fountain simultaneously a delightful illusion simulating running water is taking place while a beauty vigorously manipulates the fountains lever with her arm thrusting upwards and downwards, gold tone breguet hands, blued steel alarm hand, and a fine Swiss made Arnex 17 jewel mechanical moment – movement with a separate musical movement.
Sold for US$3,800 at Clarke Auction Gallery in 2022
A GILT METAL MUSICAL AUTOMATON OPEN-FACED POCKET WATCH WITH CONCEALED EROTIC AUTOMATON NO 1974 CIRCA 1985
gilt metal
diameter 57 mm
• gilt lever movement, 17 jewels, gilt cuvette with winding aperture for the automation • painted dial with a countryside scenery, eccentric time display with Roman numerals, applied gilt automaton of a gentleman on horseback with a hawk on his moving arm, the horse is moving its head to drink the water from the animated water fountain pumped by a lady • gilt case, milled band, tri-coloured erotic automaton concealed under the hinged case back with foliage engravings, alarm setting at 11 o’clock • dial signed, cuvette signed and numbered
Sold for 41,250 HKD at Sotheby’s in 2018
